Tier-one bill OK'd with no time to spare

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Enrique Rangel

AUSTIN - Call it tier-one drama.

The bill that will help Texas Tech and other emerging universities get national research institution status was about to be voted on the House floor Sunday night when Rep. Abel Herrero, D-Robstown, objected.

Herrero objected that $150 million for the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in House Bill 51 would shortchange Texas A&M at Corpus Christi, which is in his district.

The objection sent a chill through Rep. Delwin Jones's body because as a 29-year House veteran, the Lubbock Republican knew that with a midnight deadline approaching, if Herrero kept objecting to the bill coming up for a vote the legislation would die after midnight.

This was the only one of two bills that would help Tech and the other so-called emerging universities, get the prestigious national research institution status, more commonly known as tier-one or flagship.

So, Jones raced to Herrero's desk and along with the bill's author Dan Branch, R-Dallas, and other influential lawmakers, including the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, Jones wanted to find out what Herrero objected to. Minutes later, Jones rushed to the Senate to get to Sen. Robert Duncan, R-Lubbock, to address the concern Herrero had about Branch's bill.

After a few minutes of huddling, Duncan eventually addressed Herrero's concerns and the two Lubbock lawmakers thought the problem had been taken care of.

Wrong.

Rep. Yvonne Davis, D-Dallas, said she also objected to HB 51 coming up for a vote, for a different reason. Davis said she did not have a problem with the bill but rather with the process that allowed the inclusion of $150 million bond issue for the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, which suffered major damage caused by last year's Hurricane Ike.

So, for Jones, Branch and other lawmakers it was back to square one. They enlisted the help of Duncan and other lawmakers to address Davis' concern as quickly as possible so that the bill would come up for vote before the midnight deadline.

They succeeded.

Once Davis' concerns were addressed HB 51 finally came up for a vote and it easily passed 141-4, with Herrero casting one of the four "nays."

For Jones, who doesn't file many bills, it was another day at the office. After all, he has developed a reputation for not only killing "bad bills" - legislation that in his opinion would hurt West Texas - or the state but for also helping to pass key legislation.

"Delwin did a very nice job calming the situation," Duncan said Monday before the Legislature adjourned. With Jones' help, the lawmakers were able to convince Herrero and Davis to withdraw their objections so that the bill could come up for a vote.

Rep. Joe Heflin, D-Crosbyton, said he was not surprised about how it all ended. When a major bill is in trouble, Jones is the guy to go for help, Heflin said.

"Members know that when Delwin comes to talk to them that is being very serious, very sincere and if there are problems he is going to be help you fix those problems, and nine times out of 10 people come around," he said.

When asked about his reputation as a troubleshooter, Jones replied, "that's what I am here for, to help my district, my colleagues and do everything I can to help West Texas, and Texas Tech is vital for us."

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